The subject of the present invention is a disk brake unit.
In particular, the present invention relates to a disk brake unit comprising a caliper body extending astride a braking disk, at least one pair of pads facing the disk on opposite sides and restrained on the caliper body by suspension on a pin, each pad having a support plate for a friction lining, as well as stop means formed in the plates and facing respective complementary stop means formed in the caliper body for restraining the pads in a direction tangential to the disk.
As is known, in disk brake units of the type indicated above, the need arises to limit as far as possible the braking noise which often takes the form of a particularly annoying whistle.
This phenomenon is attributed to vibration of the pads arising during braking.
A method of the prior art for preventing this problem proposes that the disk brake unit of the type specified above comprise, in addition to a spring acting between the caliper body and the pads in order to move them away from the braking disk, a spring mounted on each plate, and acting between the caliper body and the plate, in order constantly to urge the stop means provided in the plates towards the complementary stop means provided in the caliper body.
However, it should be borne in mind that this spring makes the construction of the disk brake unit particularly complex.
In fact, it is essential to provide suitable seats in the plates for housing the springs, as well as means for fixing the springs.
Moreover, because of the provision of the spring as proposed in the prior art, the assembly of the disk brake unit, as well as operations to replace the pads or the disk, or the disk and wheel assembly in motorcycling applications, are particularly laborious.
In fact, it must be borne in mind that the above-mentioned spring necessitates predefined assembly and dismantling operations which are poorly suited to maintenance situations.
The provision of these springs complicates operations to fit the disk brake unit or to replace the pads to an extent such as to prevent their use in disk brake units intended for racing vehicles.